Buckhorn State Park part of quarantine

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has established a quarantine following the detection of 51 European cherry fruit flies in 2017.

The quarantine area encompasses about 92 square miles of Niagara County and Buckhorn State Park on the northern portion of Grand Island.

In September and October of last year, APHIS found these flies in traps placed in wild honeysuckle and sweet cherry on state and public lands along the Niagara River. APHIS is doing another survey this year throughout May and the remainder of June, placing approximately 6,000 traps in parts of Niagara and Erie counties.

"The fly attacks ripening fruit, causing it to rot and fall off the tree. In heavily infested areas, the fly can destroy up to 100 percent of cherry and other host plants if left uncontrolled," the USDA said in a pest alert about European cherry fruit flies.

Locals are encouraged to eat homegrown cherries on-site and not to move them from their property. Residents are also requested not to move soil underneath the drip line of a European cherry fruit fly host plant, such as the honeysuckle, in the regulated area as it could spread fruit fly larva.